If I had three wishes, one of them would be to get rid of all jigsaw puzzles.
When I’m relaxing with my family, I want a challenge. I want to have fun.
I don’t want to sit in a slumpy chair lighting my brain on fire looking for stupid pieces.
I want gadgets.
My favorite way to get new gadgets is through a subscription box. But you can’t just pick any old subscription. Turn to the wrong service and you’re left with a box of junk.
Stick with these five best tech subscriptions and awake your inner child.
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5 Best Tech Subscription Boxes
1. BREO BOX
BREO BOX delivers quarterly shipments of all the best gadgets you didn’t know you needed.
I’ve tried BREO three times now and have gotten a drone, action camera, maybe the best cocktail shaker of all time, a mug that keeps your coffee hot for hours, and the most fun lighter I’ve ever held.
And if you’re thinking about giving a tech subscription as a gift, BREO’s unboxing experience is fantastic. The packages are usually quite hefty and always have excellent presentation.
What I Like
The quarterly plan isn’t overwhelming, but packs enough goodies to be satisfying.
The presentation and unboxing experience is always a blast.
There’s always one item in the box you end up using way more often than you’d think.
Free shipping in the continental US.
What I Don’t Like
Like most subscriptions, a few boxes come with items you might not have use for.
What Other Reviewers Say
BREO BOX earns their “great” rating on Trustpilot, mainly because of the strength of their customer service. The positive comments trend toward how exciting it is to get this box once every three months. Almost all the negative reviews were from folks who subscribed right after the cutoff date for the previous quarter’s shipment (meaning they didn’t get their first box for about eight weeks).
In my experience, BREO BOX is top notch with communication, and they’re clear about when you can expect to get your delivery, so make sure you read through the site before subscribing.
The Verdict
If you’re looking for a quarterly injection of useful tech gadgets and fun toys, BREO BOX is the way to go.
With deliveries centering on the new seasons, you can expect timely drops that’ll load you up with the supplies that make for a well-curated life.
My BREO BOX was filled with a few things that I’ve always wanted, a few things that’ll make nice gifts, and one thing I’m not sure what to do with---for a box that aims to give you everything you never knew you needed, that’s pretty darn good.
2. Bitsbox
This one’s for the kiddos. If you’re looking for a cool tech subscription box aimed at building skills in younger kids ages 6-12, the Bitsbox is worth looking at.
With each monthly delivery, your kid gets 10-12 coding projects that walks them through mastering a new coding concept.
The apps are mostly fun games they can then play. If they complete even half of their boxes for six months, they’ll have created 30 apps and mastered six computer science concepts.
What I Like
What I Don’t Like
The Verdict
This coding subscription box for kids ages 6-12 is perfect if you're looking to boost that sweet, sweet STEM education. Hey, it beats burning ants with a magnifying glass.
3. Gadget Discovery Club
While most subscription boxes send along a collection of neat items, the Gadget Discovery Club is bold. Every month, the UK-based service sends a single tech-tool meant to improve your life.
Blue-tooth speakers, high-powered electric toothbrushes, and fitness wearables have all been past shipments—and the price is fair for this mystery box.
What I Like
They pack all the value into one item.
The mystery element is great—you don’t know what you’re getting until it arrives.
A mix of lifestyle and health gadgets to help you keep a balance.
What I Don’t Like
It ships from the UK, and there is very little info on the site as to the US pricing and shipping.
What Other Reviewers Say
Gadget Discovery Club has racked up over 900 reviews on Trustpilot with an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Most reviewers mention the value of the shipment, as the items that arrive are often far beyond the $20-30 price of the box. However, because you don’t know what you’re getting each month, you might receive something you already have.
The Verdict
If you don’t want a ton of stuff delivered to your door every month, but still want the excitement of a single new gadget every 30 days, then the Gadget Discovery Club is for you.
While you won’t know what you’re getting until you’re unboxing your GDC box, that’s half the fun.
Ready to bet all the marbles on one tech delivery every month? Rather than spreading the value around several items, the Gadget Discovery Club ships one gadget a month at a drastically reduced price. Now let's just hope it's a gadget you can use.
4. Creation Crate
Creation Crate is a monthly shipment of electrical know-how. If you’ve ever had an interest in electrical engineering but don’t know where to start, Creation Crate is an excellent option. It’s not made to be pretty—it’s made to challenge you.
Each box comes with the circuits and wires necessary to complete the project and an online curriculum to follow to help you understand new concepts in computer and electrical engineering.
What I Like
The projects have enough difficulty to challenge teens and adults alike.
There are 18 available projects, and you can score a big deal by buying in bulk.
When you subscribe for multiple months, you get gifts like a soldering kit and a components case.
What I Don’t Like
They don’t space your projects out over a long period of time, so if you order the 12 month subscription, you get 12 projects in a single delivery instead of once per month.
What Other Reviewers Say
Reviewers on CrateJoy say the Creation Crate is a great starter for anyone looking to get into the basics of Arduino and electrical engineering.
From adult hobbyists looking to build a few skills, to teens hungry to master important concepts for their future, Creation Crate has a lot of fans.
The Verdict
If you’re into electrical engineering, but you’re not sure where to start, Creation Crate is the service for you.
It’s a bit of a bummer they don’t space their bulk shipments out over several months—I think getting 12 projects at once sounds daunting. Still, for under $30, the monthly delivery is a great way to challenge yourself on the regular.
Creation Crate arms you with basic electrical engineering principals so you can learn how to play intricate and ingenious pranks. As if there was any other use for technology.
5. KiwiCo Eureka Crate
If Creation Crate is all about electrical engineering, the Eureka Crate is all about your good old fashioned engineering.
Each box comes with a set of laser-cut wood pieces and an instruction booklet that helps you build your masterpiece.
Past boxes have been a ukulele build, an articulated lamp build, and even a mechanical pencil sharpener.
The Eureka Crate is really best suited to kids between the ages of 10-14, but plenty of older tinkerers in their 20s and 30s left reviews detailing the fun they’ve had building these projects.
What I Like
Each project is challenging to build, but also shows a concept, like leverage or sound waves.
The projects also come with a booklet that delves into the history of whichever design you’re working on.
Free shipping.
What I Don’t Like
All subscriptions are auto-renewal, even though the checkout process leads you to believe otherwise (i.e. “6 Month Subscription,” but it renews every 6 months).
What Other Reviewers Say
KiwiCo, the maker of Eureka Crate, has over 1,700 reviews on Trustpilot, with an impressive 4.5-star average rating.
Like with all subscription boxes, you’ll likely get one or two underwhelming boxes over the course of a year, but most reviewers mentioned these crates are challenging, fun, and result in a high-quality piece to have around the house.
The Verdict
Do you ever get the itch to build something? If so, check out the Eureka Crate from KiwiCo. Each project shows you the underpinnings of everyday objects. You’d be surprised at how complicated some things are.
The Eureka Crate packs a new engineering project in each delivery. They put the FUN in FUNctional. We'll be here all week.
Get Your Tech On
Tech-lovers fall under a wide umbrella. Gadget-hogs, tinkerer, builders, and engineers of all ages will find something valuable in one of the five subscription boxes above.
For the guy who wants to boost his surroundings, we recommend BREO BOX. Each quarter, the new shipment feels like a haul of birthday presents.
My BREO BOX was filled with a few things that I’ve always wanted, a few things that’ll make nice gifts, and one thing I’m not sure what to do with---for a box that aims to give you everything you never knew you needed, that’s pretty darn good.
If you’re shopping for kids, check out Bitsbox, Creation Crate, and Eureka Crate—just make sure you do your research because some of those are more advanced than others. And both Creation Crate and Eureka Crate are cool choices if you’re older, too—like doing your taxes older.
And if you don’t want to get an entire collection of tech, but want a single new gizmo every month, check out Gadget Discovery Club.
What kind of techy are you?
